Rounding the corner at Ellis Square riding an orange trolley and gleefully wielding a megaphone, celebrity cook Paula Deen announced plans Wednesday to launch a new digital cooking network this fall — eschewing the traditional TV networks that cast her off a year ago in the aftermath of a scandal that nearly melted her butter-coated empire.

“I got my own network, did ya hear?” Deen shouted into a bullhorn as she pulled up to greet fans outside her Lady & Sons restaurant on Wednesday. “Are y’all reading about my network?”

Deen dismounted the trolley with a film crew and large entourage to talk about her latest endeavor since launching her comeback in February, backed by a $100 million investment from Phoenix-based Najafi Companies and a new umbrella brand called Paula Deen Ventures.

The new Paula Deen Network will be available via computer, smartphone and tablets, according to a press release, with a range of exclusive content for subscribers such as short- and long-form videos of Deen showcasing tips, recipes and products.

Deen said this version of her cooking show will be more candid and less confined than the 30-minute format she had during her Food Network days. Deen’s contract with the network was not renewed last summer after a deposition in which she admitted to using a racial slur several decades ago became widely publicized.

“You’ll see all of me,” said Deen of the online network. “It’s not being governed by a network because we are our bosses, and we’re going to give our friends what they want, not what a bunch of executives in New York City think we should have.”

The new format will feature a familiar cast of Deen’s family and close friends in addition to a live studio audience. The Savannah Morning News first reported on her beginning production in mid May at a fully renovated home cooking studio on Wilmington Island.

Since launching Paula Deen Ventures, Deen has made a slew of appearances and announcements, including an upcoming 20,000-square-foot restaurant in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., and a multi-city live tour kicking off June 21 with the help of Deen’s longtime collaborator and producer, Gordon Elliott of ABC’s “The Chew.”

Paid subscriptions

The success of the new network will hinge on whether Deen’s fans — including 4.2 million on Facebook and 1.2 million Twitter followers — are willing to pay for exclusive content.

Steven Nanula, the CEO of Paula Deen Ventures who accompanied Deen on Wednesday, said they had not decided on subscription prices but said some content will be in front of the paywall. A free 14-day trial period will be available when it launches in September.

“It came loud and clear from her fan base that this is what they’re looking for,” said Nanula.

Many of Deen’s recipes are still found online at the Food Network website, and she faces a competitive online landscape where finding a recipe, even for her “Not Yo’ Mama’s Banana Pudding,” is as easy as a Google search.

Sisters-in-law Dar Zwick and Janet Zwick, visiting from Ohio on Wednesday, were thrilled at their good timing ahead of Deen’s arrival. Both said they would likely subscribe to the Paula Deen Network.

“I would, I just like her and I think she’s great — happy and cheerful,” said Dar Zwick.

“I’m a cook, and I like to try new recipes, so I probably would,” said Janet Zwick, holding a gift bag from the Paula Deen Store.

Dar Zwick said she would be willing to pay between $15 and $20 a month for a Paula Deen Network subscription, though not everyone outside Deen’s store was as eager about signing up.

“Personally, I don’t think I would because I don’t have the time and don’t cook,” said Isaac Shefner, visiting The Lady & Sons from Knoxville, Tenn.

His friends, a group of younger guys, also agreed.

“Most recipes I get online or from my friend who’s a chef in L.A.,” said Frank Shepard. “There’s a lot of stuff available online that you don’t have to pay for.”

“It depends on how much it would cost,” said Jackson Manning. “I can see the value if you’re just a really big fan of her style of cuisine.”

Nanula said Deen’s operation fielded offers from “a lot” of television networks to get Deen back on the air but decided a digital model was a better fit based on their marketing research.

“Really the reason we decided to do this is because we did do a national study and we reached out to Paula’s fans, and what we found out was that they’re really looking for a broader approach of Paula,” he said.

Nanula said the ad-free network is really about Deen’s fans, not about turning a profit right away.

“We’re measuring success out of what Paula’s fans feel about the network and feel about what we’re doing,” he said. “Quite frankly, we think it’s the wave of the future.”

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